Echoes of the Past
by waterlily250
Summary: When the leaders of two Tribes go missing, it's up to four apprentices to find and rescue them.
1. Note

Hello, readers! This is a story about two Tribes, written by me and my friend. I write the chapters about Mistypaw and Foxpaw, and my friend writes the ones about Briarpaw and Spiritpaw. The Tribes work a bit differently than Clans, as there are hunters, warriors, and scouts. The medicine cats are called healers. I will be updating this story every Thursday. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you enjoy!


	2. Allegiances

ALLEGIANCES

~BREEZE TRIBE~

Leader: Fernstar- golden tabby she-cat with green eyes (on fifth life)

Deputy: Grayclaw- gray and white tom with blue eyes

Healer: Dapplefur- tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice: Creampaw

Warriors

Duskwing- orange and black she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice: Icepaw

Ashpelt- gray, long-pelted tabby tom with green eyes

Mudfoot- brown tom with darker brown paws and underbelly

Owlflight- pale gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Leafpatch- brown tom with white patches

Darktail- black tom with a long tail

Robinwing- mottled brown she-cat with gray eyes

Silversky- silver tabby she-cat with sky blue eyes

Frostfoot- white tom with large pale gray paws

Hunters

Ravensong- black she-cat with green eyes

Sunpatch- white she-cat with ginger patches

Goldenflame- golden she-cat with bright amber eyes

Bluefeather- blue and white she-cat with blue eyes

Heronwing- blue-gray tom with blue eyes

Nightstripe- dark colored tom with black stripes

Apprentice: Mistypaw

Stonewhisker- dark gray tom

Scouts

Badgerfur- black tom with white markings like a badger

Apprentice: Spiritpaw

Birchclaw- white and brown she-cat

Dawnfur- gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Lilypaw

Brackenheart- golden tabby tom

Petalfall- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Wolfstrike- gray tom with a thick tail

Apprentices

Lilypaw- tortoiseshell she-cat with leaf green eyes

Mistypaw- blue-gray she-cat with a white underbelly and paws

Spiritpaw- tall white tom with one yellow eye and one blue eye

Creampaw- cream she-cat with blue eyes

Icepaw- white and gray tom

Queens

Maplewhisker- golden brown she-cat, mother of Badgerfur's kits

Kits: Blackkit, Blazekit

Jaystripe- gray she-cat with black stripes (pregnant with Darktail's kits)

Blizzardfur- white she-cat with gray flecks, mother of Nightstripe's kits

Kits: Whitekit, Brightkit, and Sootkit

Elders

Cloudfur- white tom with many scars

Sparrowclaw- brown tom with darker brown paws

Embertail- gray she-cat with orange eyes

Oakpelt- brown tom with a torn ear

~WATER TRIBE~

Leader: Volestar- dark brown tom with yellow eyes (on seventh life)

Deputy: Amberfrost- light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and tail with sky blue eyes

Healer: Cavernmist- light grey she-cat with green eyes and darker dapples

Warriors

Stormwing- blue/ gray tom with dark blue eyes

Meadowsun- golden she-cat with bright green eyes

Hawkpelt- brown and white tabby tom with a long tail

Snowfang- white she-cat with light grey paws and hazel eyes

Marshstripe- light brown tom with a darker stripe running down his back and dark green eyes

Blazeclaw- golden tom with ginger tabby stripes

Hunters

Thorndapple- light grey tom with brown dapples on his back and paws

Longfur- black tom with a long pelt and orange eyes

Pebblefoot- silver tabby she-cat with deep black markings and ocean blue eyes

Harestride- light brown tom with a white chest and short white tail and brown eyes

Fawnleap- dark brown she-cat with white spots and a short tail

Emberblaze- dark grey tom with orange tabby stripes and yellow eyes

Hollowstep- mottled grey tom with dark blue eyes

Scouts

Crowtail- dark grey tom with light grey markings

Torneye- black and white patched tom with his right eye clawed and blind

Runningstorm- silver and white marbled she-cat with stormy blue eyes

Brookfur- deep brown tom with dark blue eyes

Pinefuzz- red tom with fluffy, spiky fur

Acornear- ginger and brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Skyheart- brown and black tortoiseshell she-cat with a white heart shaped mark on her chest and sky blue eyes

Apprentices

Halfpaw- white tom with his two front paws a deep brown, and hazel eyes (Scout Apprentice)

Briarpaw- light brown she-cat with black tabby stripes, white paws, chest, and face, with blue/ violet eyes (Warrior Apprentice)

Lightningpaw- white tom with black zig-zagging stripes and bright yellow eyes (Warrior Apprentice)

Heatherpaw- black she-cat with a brown tail, back, and face, with sky blue eyes (Hunter Apprentice)

Redpaw- Red tom with deep orange eyes and a thick pelt (Hunter Apprentice)

Smokypaw- dark grey tom with black tabby stripes and orange eyes (Warrior Apprentice)

Foxpaw- dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes (Scout Apprentice)

Queens

Gingerspark- bright orange tabby she-cat with dark green eyes (Hunter)

Autumnkit

Violetkit

Tawnyshadow- black and orange tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green and yellow eyes (Warrior)

(Pregnant)

Elders

Goosefoot- grumpy white tom with yellow eyes

Tanglefur- black she-cat with long, knotty fur


	3. Chapter One: Mistypaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter One

MISTYPAW

"Look at this mouse I caught!" Mistypaw held up a fairly large wood mouse to show her mentor, Nightstripe.

"Wow," he looked at the rodent, "that'll feed all of Blizzardfur's kits!" Mistypaw purred at Nightstripe's praise. She knew this was a rare thing from her not-so-easily impressed mentor, so when he gave compliments, he really meant it.

"Now sniff the air, and tell me which animals you smell," he told her, and she opened her mouth to take in the air.

She tilted her head and sniffed with her nose this this time. "I smell squirrel, rabbit and a couple of voles.

He nodded and looked up at the sky, where the sun was low towards the earth and was coloring the sky around it pink and orange. "We better get back to camp. It's getting a bit late, and there's a Gathering tonight."

"There is? Do I get to go?" Mistypaw looked up at him with her shining blue eyes.

Nightstripe let out a small meow that sounded like laughter. "Maybe. I'll talk to Fernstar about it."

"Yay!" Mistypaw bounded up the hill to her camp, which was in the middle of a wooded area that overlooked a moor. Feeling the wind ruffle her blue-gray fur, she padded through the fern tunnel that led into Breeze Tribe's camp.

"Hi, Mistypaw!" Lilypaw, Mistypaw's sister, greeted her. She was training to be a scout with her mentor Dawnfur.

"Hi, Lilypaw! How was scout training?" Mistypaw asked her sister, who responded immediately.

"Oh, it was great! We ran around the whole territory. I'm really tired, though. How was your hunter training?"

Mistypaw gave her white chest fur, which was stick up, a lick. "It was good! Look at this mouse!" She gestured with her paw to the large mouse she had set next to her. "I caught this today!"

Lilypaw looked impressed. "Wow. That's the biggest mouse I've ever seen!"

"That's what I told her," Nightstripe walked up behind his apprentice.

"Nightstripe, what took you so long?" Mistypaw teased.

"I was talking to Fernstar about the Gathering tonight," he meowed.

Mistypaw perked up. "Do I get to go?"

Nightstripe purred, "Yes, you get to go."

"Yay!" Mistypaw jumped in the air, her tail flicking from one side to the other. "I'm so excited! I can't wait to meet the other Tribe's cats!"

Lilypaw grinned next to her. "You'll like it." At the last Gathering, Lilypaw had gone, but Mistypaw couldn't because she had caught whitecough.

"Who else is going?" Mistypaw asked her mentor.

Nightstripe flicked his ear. "I'm not sure, you'll have to wait for Fernstar's announcement. In the meantime, why don't you give that mouse to Blizzardfur and her kits and then get something to eat."

Mistypaw nodded and picked up her mouse to give it to the queen and her three kits. She padded through the camp, stopping in front of the nursery. She brushed the moss hanging in front of the entrance aside with her tail and stepped into the den.

"Oh, hello, Mistypaw!" The oldest queen, Maplewhisker, flicked her tail in greeting.

Mistypaw dipped her head and made her way over to where Blizzardfur and her kits were.

"Oh, my! Is that mouse for me? Thank you!" Blizzardfur looked at the mouse as the apprentice set it down softly next to her.

"You're welcome," Mistypaw told the queen. She left the nursery as Blizzardfur started to eat. She ran over to the fresh-kill pile in the middle of camp and grabbed a squirrel (her favorite).

"Hi, guys," Mistypaw mewed as she plopped down next to Lilypaw, who was sharing a large rabbit with her scout apprentice friend Spiritpaw and his sister Creampaw.

"Hi, Mistypaw!" Creampaw her voice sounded muffled with a face full of rabbit.

"Hey," Spiritpaw flicked his ears in acknowledgment.

Lilypaw looked over at her sister. "Ah, squirrel. Your favorite, huh?"

Mistypaw smiled. "You know me so well!" It was true. Even though the sisters were opposites in personality, with Mistypaw being bubbly and outgoing and Lilypaw being serious and practical, and they looked nothing alike, but they were as close as can be.

"Hey, look over there," Creampaw gestured with her paw. Silversky and Mudfoot were sharing tongues with each other next to Mistypaw and Lilypaw's parents, Petalfall and Heronwing.

"Ooh," Mistypaw looked at the two cats and giggled. "The nursery's pretty full, and Jaystripe's going to have her kits soon..."

Icepaw came just then. "Hello, littermates and friends!"

Spiritpaw smiled. "Hi, Icepaw. How was warrior training?"

"It was fun! I fell on my back a few times and my foot hurts a little bit, but that happens. Dapplefur checked my foot out and she said I'm fine." Icepaw told his brother as he picked out a blackbird from the fresh-kill pile, which was growing gradually now that leafbare was over and newleaf was here.

"Tribe members, gather around!" Fernstar's voice could be heard from the Oak Stump. Mistypaw swallowed the last bit of her squirrel and sat down near the base of the Oak Stump, her tail twitching. "I will be taking Grayclaw, Dapplefur, Dawnfur, Duskwing, Ashpelt, Sunpatch, Heronwing, Mudfoot, Darktail, Nightstripe, Ravensong, Wolfstrike, Robinwing, Mistypaw, Spiritpaw and Creampaw to the Gathering with me. We leave soon. Thank you." With that, Fernstar leapt from the huge stump at the front of the camp and every cat went back to doing what they were doing before.

Mistypaw was practically bouncing with excitement. She was going to her first Gathering! She paced around as Lilypaw told her repeatedly to calm down while she waited to go with everyone else to the Gathering.

"So this is your first Gathering?" Spiritpaw started a conversation just as everyone was about to leave.

"Yes, and I'm really excited!" Mistypaw's tail twitched and she accidentally hit her friend in the shoulder. "Oh, sorry."

Spiritpaw smiled. "It's fine."

"Alright, Breeze Tribe members! Let's get going!" Fernstar told them, and they made their way to the Gathering spot in the middle of the Tribe territories.


	4. Chapter Two: Spiritpaw

"Alright, Breeze Tribe members! Let's get going!" Fernstar told them, and they made their way to the Gathering spot in the middle of the Tribe's territories.

Spiritpaw looked down at his paws as they padded through Breeze Tribe's territory, his multicolored eyes flicking towards the sounds of cats talking every once in a while. He let out a sigh and looked up at the night sky, smiling softly.

"Pretty isn't it?" A mew interrupted his thoughts. His hackles raised softly and he turned to the owner of the voice with wide eyes, until he realized it was only Mistypaw.

"Oh... Mistypaw... Y-Yeah I think it's beautiful." He lifted his gaze to the stars once more and let out a sigh of content. Mistypaw soon got busy with a conversation with Wolfstrike, but then Spiritpaw's sister, Creampaw, came bounding up behind him.

"Hey there Brother!" Spiritpaw internally groaned.

"Hello Creampaw..." The tom said in a low, monotone voice.

"What? Did a Fire Ant get into your nest last night? Don't be grumpy!" The white she-cat bumped her taller brother in the arm, frowning slightly. Spiritpaw was the tallest apprentice, and nearly the size of a full grown warrior, although he had only gone through about two moons of training.

Hissing as he stumbled over a rock, the apprentice shook out his fur and glared over at Creampaw, not wanting to deal with his goofy sister.

She seemed to get the hint and let out a sigh before shaking her head. "Fine then, be a grump!" Creampaw huffed and ran ahead of him, her head tipped up and her tail waving in the air behind her.

"Crazy fluff ball..." He whispered quietly. Fernstar's yowl rang out at the front of the group, and he could see her jump onto a small boulder that marked the end of their territory, and the start of Water Tribes. Behind Fernstar there were a ring of bushes, and then a large willow tree placed at the center, it's low hanging branches creaking quietly in the wind.

Spiritpaw could here quiet murmuring from behind the bushes, and his ears perked up as he sat down. Water Tribe must have already gotten to the Gathering place.

Mistypaw was beside him once more, bouncing up and down in excitement. "I can't wait to go see the other apprentices! What are they like? Which ones did you talk to last time?" She went nose-to-nose with the white tom, and he frowned softly. Fernstar was talking to the group, but he knew she said the same thing every time. Look prideful, keep your chin up, clean your pelts... But he already knew all this.

"Well..." Spiritpaw said quietly, laying his tail over his paws. "There were four apprentices there last time. I think the names were... Lightningpaw... Heatherpaw... Smokeypaw and Foxpaw..." He nodded his head after a moment. "Yup, those were the cats."

Mistypaw stared up at him with her jaw hanging down a little, her pale blue eyes wide. "Wow..." She breathed.

Fernstar let out a yowl once more, and the cats began heading towards the bushes a few fox lengths away. Spiritpaw didn't know how Mistypaw could be so excited about a few apprentices... Sure, he was excited the first time, but still. The cats slipped through any openings in the bushes, and he was about to go through a small hole when suddenly he heard Creampaw yowl.

His head snapped back to look at the pale she-cat and he winced as she began running full speed at the bushes. Spiritpaw knew what she was going to do, and he knew it wouldn't be good. She launched herself off the ground when she was a few paw steps away, but instead of actually jumping over the bushes, she jumped into them.

"Ow!" He heard his sister hiss as she dragged herself out from the bushes, her pelt covered in twigs and leaves.

"Creampaw! What are you doing!?" A tortoiseshell she-cat slipped out from behind a few cats and huffed as she cuffed Creampaw over the ears. Spiritpaw couldn't help but laugh at seeing his sister's flustered expression as her mentor cuffed her.

Mistypaw nudged him roughly and jumped up and down. "Come on Spiritpaw! Hurry up!" The tom rolled his blue and yellow multicolored eyes before slipping through the branches of the bush, and looking around the Gathering Place with wide eyes.

Mistypaw wriggled through also, and let out an excited squeak as she saw Water Tribe cats. "Let's go find the apprentices!" She said quickly, beginning to race off.

"Mistypaw wait!" He grabbed her tail in his mouth and pulled her back, a growl rising in his throat. "Stay here! We need to find them first before you go racing off to strange cats!"

She hung her head a little and frowned before looking around. "Well do you recognize them?" He looked around at the cats, his eyes narrowed. He recognized a few Water Tribe members, by the names of Stormwing, Haretail, Fawnleap, and a few others. As he scanned the area his eyes were caught by three smaller outlines, one a ginger tabby, the next a dark grey tom with black tabby stripes, and the last a pretty brown she-cat with black tabby markings and a white face, chest, and paws.

He smiled lightly and pointed at the three with his tail. "Over there, now come on." He began padding towards them, his long white tail flicking behind him while Mistypaw trotted at his side, her head only reaching to his shoulders. The ginger tabby turned his head to look at the two after a moment, and he smiled softly at Spiritpaw before prodding the grey tabby in the side.

Smokypaw huffed at Foxpaw before turning around, and looking at the two cats. "Oh, hey Spiritpaw." He said lazily, sounding uninterested. The mysterious she-cat beside him turned around and looked at the two, her blue and violet eyes shimmering as she flicked her tail back and forth.

"Hello, Smokypaw," Spiritpaw said curtly, sitting in front of the three cats. He never really liked Smokypaw, the mouse-brain tended to act rude and uninterested in anything any cat had to say. "This is my friend, Mistypaw." He prodded the blue she-cat beside him and turned to look down at her.

"Hi!" She waved her tail and smiled at the three. "What are your guys's names?" Mistypaw got into the other she-cats face and sniffed her. "Ew! You guys smell nasty!"

"Hey! Maybe you should sniff yourself before saying that to us!" The apprentice hissed and Mistypaw jumped back in fear, while Spiritpaw watched the she-cat with wide eyes. He wasn't expecting such a small she-cat to have such a large outburst.

"Yeah," said Smokypaw, not seeming surprised at the apprentice's yelling at all. "This here is Briarpaw." The gray and black tabby wrapped his tail around her side and smiled at Briarpaw, his orange eyes shimmering.

"U-uh... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!" Mistypaw squeaked, her eyes pinned back a little and her tail in between her legs.

Briarpaw sniffed a little, and her expression softened. "It's fine, I guess..." She shook out her fur and prodded Foxpaw in the side a little, smiling. "Don't be so shy, Foxpaw, talk to cats! You're not going to become a scout if you don't speak to anyone!" She purred a little and Foxpaw smiled weakly, kneading the grass underneath him.

Spiritpaw opened his mouth to say something when he suddenly heard Volestar and Fernstar yowl, signaling that the Gathering was about to start.

A/N: I decided to update today because I'll be camping when I'm supposed to update. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter Three: Foxpaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter Three

FOXPAW

"Shh! The Gathering is starting!" Foxpaw heard the white-furred tom Spiritpaw tell his excited she-cat friend, Mistypaw.

"Sorry!" She whispered, and turned her attention to the leaders of the two Tribes, who were sitting on the large willow tree in the middle of the Gathering spot.

"The Gathering has started!" Volestar yowled the traditional start to the Gathering. Whichever leader said this would be the last to share news.

Fernstar meowed," Things are going well in Breeze Tribe, but our previous deputy, Snowpelt, has sadly joined Star Tribe." Shocked and sad murmurs rippled across the Gathering. "I have waited until the Gathering to tell my Tribe this part, but she was found just outside of Breeze Tribe's border with multiple scratches on her."

Foxpaw gasped, and he wasn't the only one. He saw that Smokypaw and Briarpaw looked angered, Spiritpaw looked both mad and upset, and Mistypaw looked like she was thinking hard about something.

Fernstar continued with a pained expression on her face. "She will be missed, and may Star Tribe permit her good hunting and a peaceful afterlife."

"May Star Tribe permit her good hunting and a peaceful afterlife," every cat repeated the words that were said to send off a deceased cat.

"In related news, Grayclaw is the new deputy," Fernstar told the Gathering. The gray cat dipped his head at his acknowledgment.

"Grayclaw! Grayclaw!" Every cat chanted his name until Fernstar waved her tail for everyone to quiet down.

"That's all from me," she dipped her head and let Volestar share news.

Volestar began, "All is well in Water Tribe. Prey is plentiful and Gingerspark just gave birth to two healthy kits: Violetkit and Autumnkit." Polite murmurs. "That is all I have to share." Volestar concluded.

"The Gathering is over," Fernstar lept down gracefully from her spot on the willow tree.

Foxpaw heard Mistypaw wonder aloud, "That doesn't make sense. How was she killed?"

Following the other leader's example, Volestar jumped from the tree and landed with grace. "Water Tribe! Let's go."

"Interesting Gathering," Briarpaw padded up next to Foxpaw, slightly startling him. Briarpaw laughed when he jumped.

He gave a small smile to greet his friend. "Yes, definitely. Mistypaw is... a character."

Briarpaw laughed again. "Yeah. She seems okay, though.

"But," she suddenly lowered her voice, "I wonder what happened to Snowpelt...?"

Foxpaw flicked his ears. "Me too, she seemed like a great cat. Why would anyone want to murder her?"

"I don't know."

They walked back to Water Tribe's territory in silence, skirting the river as they walked into their camp in the marshy, pine tree-filled woods. Yawning, Foxpaw padded into the apprentice's den and lay down in his nest of soft moss and heron feathers.

• • •

"C'mon, Foxpaw! It's time to wake up! You missed the sunrise," Foxpaw felt his brother, Redpaw, in the side.

Foxpaw rolled over, "I did? Fox dung."

"Yes, and Runningstorm is looking for you. Great Star Tribe, you must have been exhausted after the Gathering. You're usually the first appreciate awake!" Redpaw flicked his tail as his brother sat up.

"Did anyone tell you what Fernstar said at the Gathering last night?" Foxpaw asked Redpaw as they walked out of the den together, side by side.

Redpaw nodded. "Emberblaze told me about it when we went hunting earlier this morning. He heard it from Hawkpelt."

"I wonder what happened. Maybe a fox or badger?" Foxpaw fretted.

"You're such a scaredy-mouse. There's no fox or badger," Redpaw rolled his orange eyes.

Foxpaw wasn't sure, but he kept his mouth shut as he and his brother walked out of the apprentice's den to the center of camp, where their mentors were waiting for them. Runningstorm looked impatient.

"There you are!" She exclaimed when she saw him. "I have been looking for you. I thought you were in a pine tree somewhere watching the sun rise. If I had known you were still asleep, I wouldn't have had to wander the forest like a fool calling your name!"

Foxpaw hung his head at his mentor's harsh tone. "I'm sorry, Runningstorm."

She nodded once. "Let's get going. We have a lot to do today."

Foxpaw bounded after his mentor, his paws hitting the ground as he tried to catch up to one of the fastest cats in the Tribe. They finally got to the river where the territory ended after about a minute if solid sprinting.

"Alright," Runningstorm took a deep breath. "Endurance and speed training. Run about five fox-lengths to those pebbles and back three times, and we'll see how long it takes you."

Foxpaw nodded, although he was still huffing from the run out of camp.

"Ready? Go!" At the sound of Runningstorm's meow, he took off, the wind blowing through his striped pelt. He spun around as soon as his paw touched the pebbles and raced back towards where his mentor was waiting for him to finish. He turned around just in front of her, raced back towards the pebbles, and...

Lost his footing and fell.

"Just a friendly reminder, if Water Tribe or rogue group was invading and you tripped, they could hurt or kill you sp you couldn't warn the Tribe." Runningstorm called after him.

"Which is why there's a patrol," he mumbled under his breath so she couldn't hear him. He got up and ran the rest of the way without slipping.

Runningstorm told him, "Well, besides the fall there, that was good. You've certainly improved since the beginning of your apprenticeship."

"Thank you, Runningstorm." Foxpaw dipped his head.

Runningstorm responded, "You're welcome. Now, go again."

He sighed, but ran again without protesting. This time he made it without falling.

"Good job," she told her apprentice, then smiled. "Although it was funny to see to you fall." She nudged him playfully with her shoulder.

"Thanks," he gave a wide smile back, which was rare for him. Ever since his mother, Flarestripe, had died in a badger attack, he hadn't smiled that much.

"Hey!" Runningstorm's voice ripped him from his thoughts. She was about a fox-length ahead of him. "You coming?"

He nodded. "Yes, sorry."

She looked at him with questioning eyes. "Are you okay? You seem a little distracted."

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Don't lie to me."

Foxpaw sighed. "I'm just thinking about my mother..."

Runningstorm's face softened. "It's okay. She's in Star Tribe now, watching over you, your brother, and your father." She placed a paw over where Foxpaw's heart was. "You're handling this very well, and she loves you and misses you. I know she does."

Smiling slightly, he replied, "Thank you, Runningstorm."

"You're welcome. Now, let's get back to training. Care to take a nice, fast-paced run around the territory without stopping?"

"Not really, but I'll do it anyway." With this, apprentice and mentor took off, bolting around the borders of Water Tribe. About halfway around, Foxpaw could feel his legs start to ache. He tried to slow down, but Runningstorm, who was behind him, told him to go faster. He huffed, but pushed forward. He could feel the wind ruffle his pelt.

"Ugh!" Foxpaw exclaimed. His whole self seemed to hurt now, and he was breathing heavily. His paws hit the hard, rain-deprived ground with slightly painful thumps. He was extremely grateful to finally be able to stop at the river and get a drink.

"Did you have fun?" Runningstorm huffed.

"No!" Foxpaw gasped through gulps of water. She laughed at this, and crouched down next to him to drink some water too. After about fifteen seconds of drinking, Runningstorm looked up at the sky, where the sun was touching the tops of the pine trees.

"You hungry? Let's go get food," Runningstorm suggested, heading towards camp.

Foxpaw asked, "Do we have to run?"

"Do you want to run?"

"Not really, to be honest."

"Okay, then you don't have to." She told him, and they walked side by side all the way to camp. As soon as they walked in, Foxpaw bolted to the center of camp and grabbed a sparrow from the pile with his mouth. He carried it over to a large pine tree with many holes in it where the apprentices ate. He saw that Heatherpaw and Redpaw were already there, talking. He was beginning to suspect that his brother had a bit of a crush on her.

"Hi, Foxpaw!" Heatherpaw greeted him as he walked over to them.

"Hello," he mumbled around the sparrow in his jaws.

Heatherpaw asked, "How was scout training?

"Tiring. Very tiring."

Redpaw looked up from the trout he was eating. "Sounds fun!"

Foxpaw didn't say anything as he sat next to Redpaw and began to eat his bird. He ate it with large, quick gulps in silence. As soon as he was done with it, Runningstorm was right there.

"Ready to go and train again?"

Foxpaw sighed. "Yup, let's go."


	6. Chapter Four: Briarpaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter Four

BRIARPAW

Briarpaw huffed as her paws slammed against the ground, and not Snowfang's back. The white she-cat aimed a blow at the apprentice with her light grey paws, throwing her off balance as she tumbled to the ground. Opening her eyes slowly, she winced as the bright afternoon sun got in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut quickly.

"Again." Her mentor commanded, sitting down across from Briarpaw and wrapping her thin tail neatly around her paws.

"No matter how many times I try, I won't get the move right!" The warrior in training growled, lifting herself off of the ground with a grunt. Her white chest fur was now a pale brown from the dirt, and she rolled her ice blue eyes before lapping at it.

"The Upright Lock isn't that hard." Lightningpaw snorted, sitting next to his own mentor, Stormwing.

"Don't be rude!" The blue and grey tom grumbled, swiping his apprentice over the ears while he huffed in annoyance.

Briarpaw stared down at her paws, her pelt heating up in embarrassment at Lightningpaw's comment. "I'll never do it right... I've been trying this since early this morning and I keep failing!"

Snowfang brushed against a few ferns making her way towards Briarpaw, and the apprentice was all too ready to be scolded. "What are you doing wrong?" She asked, staring down at her with an unwavering gaze.

Out of the corner of her eye, Briarpaw could see Stormwing lean down and whisper something in Lightningpaw's ear before straightening again. "We're going to go back to training. Thanks for letting us observe, Snowfang." Stormwing called out, before vanishing into the bushes beside them in the clearing they were all standing in. The warrior nodded at him before watching Lightningpaw until he too had left.

"Answer my question." Snowfang mewed again, turning her amber stare back to her apprentice.

Briarpaw scowled and stood up, shaking out her pelt. "Well I don't know. If I knew I wouldn't be doing it by now."

The white she-cat's gaze quickly hardened, and a small growl escaped her lips. "Do not talk back to me! I am your mentor and wether you like it or not, you will treat me with respect. Got it?"

Briarpaw shrunk back at Snowfang's harsh tone before nodding her head. "Yes, I'm sorry, Snowfang."

There were a few moments of silence before the she-cat stood up. "I don't like your attitude lately, Briarpaw. You need to learn a lesson. Go back to camp. I want you to search all the elders for ticks, and when your done, you'll spend the rest of the day in camp. Do you hear me?" Snowfang eyed her carefully while Briarpaw bowed her head in shame.

"Yes... I'll go do that now..." The brown and black tabby she-cat turned towards a small path near the base of a nearby willow tree and began walking.

• • •

"There you go, Goosefoot." The warrior apprentice sighed. "You're tick-free."

"It's about time!" Goosefoot mumbled, leaning his head back and inspecting his ruffled white fur before grunting. "Thank you dear." A long furred black she-cat said kindly, looking up from washing her paws.

Briarpaw smiled tiredly and dipped her head before setting the mouse bile down on the ground. "It was no problem Tanglefur. If either of you need anything else don't be afraid to ask." Both of the elders nodded they're heads as she picked up the mouse bile again and slipped out of the den and towards the outside of camp.

"Hey Briarpaw!" Her head snapped towards a dark grey tom with black stripes and startling orange eyes as he hurtled towards her.

"What?" Briarpaw said, her words muffled by the foul smelling moss in her mouth. Smokypaw halted a few feet away before padding towards her again, only slower.

"Where are you go- oh... I see..." A small smirk played the tom's features as Briarpaw rolled her eyes and continued on walking. "Snowfang made you check the elders for ticks? Oh, and let me guess why, cause you were being a little miss sass?"

The warrior apprentice began laughing as she dropped the moss and quickly kicked dirt on it before she turned towards him. "Spot on..." She grumbled, turning away and padding back into camp.

Smokypaw stopped laughing and padded after her, frowning a little. "Hey, I'm only joking... You know that, right?" The tom said quietly, nudging her shoulder softly. She let out a small sigh and sat down, before staring up into the darkening sky.

"Yeah I know... I'm just...tired, I guess." Briarpaw whispered, before turning to Smokypaw. He sat down also and nodded in understanding as his head slowly tilted up to look at the cloudless violet colored sky.

"Yeah... I get like that a lot too..." There was a small shared silence between the duo, before Smokypaw let out a puff of air. "I'm gonna go get something to eat... Wanna share?"

Briarpaw nodded and smiled brightly at him before standing up. "Sounds good. I'll be over in a minute." The grey and black tabby tom quickly jumped up and scampered towards the apprentices den, while she sat alone in the center of camp.

"Where's Amberfrost and Hawkpelt?..." She whispered to herself as she looked around. After a moment of looking, she spotted her Father's dark brown and white tabby pelt, and right beside him, her Mother's light brown one. "Amberfrost! Hawkpelt!" She called, scampering towards them.

They turned around and smiled upon seeing they're daughter. "Hi Briarpaw! How was training today?" The deputy asked eagerly.

"Great." Briarpaw lied, forcing a smile while Hawkpelt nudged her playfully.

"Well that's good! Was there anything you needed?" He asked, his pale green eyes narrowing a little.

"Nope!" Briarpaw chirped. "I just wanted to talk to you guys for a bit. I'll get out of your way now."

The she-cat chuckled and took a few steps back while her parents nodded. "Alright, well have a good night, honey." Amberfrost purred before laying down.

The brown and black tabby nodded before trotting towards Smokeypaw, laying at the enterance to the apprentices den with a large rabbit at his paws.


	7. Chapter Five: Mistypaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter Five

MISTYPAW

Lilypaw's jaw hung open in surprise. "You think she was what?

"Murdered," Mistypaw repeated herself, uncharacteristically quiet. "Think about it! Water Tribe hasn't reported foxes or badgers, and neither has any cat from this Tribe. Why else would Snowpelt have scratches on her?"

"I guess, but she was such a great cat! Why would someone kill her?" Lilypaw asked.

Mistypaw didn't answer. She had yet to figure this out. It obviously wasn't Fernstar, because she seemed very upset about what happened to her deputy, and the two were very good friends. It wasn't her brother, Frostfoot, because he was distraught. It wasn't any of the apprentices, because Icepaw, Creampaw, and Spiritpaw were Frostfoot's kits and only Icepaw knew how to fight. Besides, Icepaw would never do such a thing. He said himself the only reason he would kill is if his family was threatened.

"Mistypaw! You coming?" Lilypaw's voice ripped her from her thoughts.

"Huh?"

Lilypaw rolled her green eyes. "I thought I told you that we were going to see Maplewhisker and her kits."

"Oh yeah! You did. Sorry. I'm coming." Mistypaw walked out of the apprentice's den and into the nursery with her sister. Maplewhisker was a good friend of Petalfall's and they visited her kits often.

Maplewhisker looked up from her sleeping kits and at the two apprentices. "Oh, hello!" She whispered.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?" Lilypaw was whispering too.

Maplewhisker shook her head. "It's fine. They're probably going to wake up soon anyway; they've been sleeping for a while. You can sit down if you're not too busy."

Mistypaw nodded and sat down. "I've finished my training for today, so I should be fine until the night hunting patrol."

Lilypaw sat down too and curled her long tail around her paws. "I've finished my training too."

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Blackkit woke up, and then put his paws on his sister, Blazekit. "Wake up, Blazekit! Brightkit, Sootkit and Whitekit are playing without us!"

Blazekit sat up, shaking out her ginger pelt that matched her mother's. "They are? Oh! Hi, Mistypaw and Lilypaw!"

"Hey, kits!" Mistypaw crouched down so she could look them in the eyes.

"Hi!" Blackkit said. "Guess what?"

Lilypaw smiled and responded, "What?"

"We only have three moons until we're apprentices!" Blackkit answered, jumping up and down.

Mistypaw smiled too. She loved the kits' energy. "Oh, really? You'll love being an apprentice! Any idea what you'll be yet?"

Blazekit answered first. "I want to be a hunter, just like you!"

"Aww!" Mistypaw grinned at the little kit.

Blackkit piped up, "And I want to be a warrior!" He crouched and sprang onto Lilypaw's tail.

Lilypaw laughed. "You would make a great warrior."

"C'mon, Blackkit! Let's go play with the others! That's why you woke me up, after all," Blazekit told her brother, and they raced out of the nursery to play with the older kits, who were play-fighting outside of the medicine den.

Lilypaw looked at Maplewhisker. "Your kits are so cute."

Maplewhisker purred and watched as Blackkit and Blazekit ran in front of the nursery entrace, followed by Blizzardfur's kits. "Thank you. I'm going to go look after them just in case they get hurt." She got up and padded out of the nursery.

"Okay," Mistypaw answered, then turned to Blizzardfur. "They're going to be apprentices soon, aren't they?"

Blizzardfur nodded. "A half a moon. They're very excited. I've already decided what I'm going to ask Fernstar to apprentice them as."

"And what's that?" Lilypaw and Mistypaw asked simultaneously.

"Brightkit, a warrior; Sootkit and Whitekit, hunters."

"Ooh! I'm sure they'll love it." Mistypaw smiled at the gray and white queen. "Being a hunter apprentice is great."

Just then, Dapplefur walked in.

"Hello," the healer meowed. "I'm here to check on Jaystripe."

The quiet she-cat sat up from the back of the nursery. "Hello, Dapplefur."

Suddenly, a voice called, "Lilypaw! Mistypaw!"

Lilypaw's ears swiveled towards the sound. "That's Petallfall. Sorry, we have to go."

"Alright, bye!" Blizzardfur called to the apprentices.

"I wonder what Petallfall wants," Lilypaw mewed as she and her sister padded to where their mother was standing. Her dappled tail was twitching with excitement. Mistypaw felt like she was looking at an exact reflection of Lilypaw when she looked at Petalfall.

"Hello, my kits," Petalfall looked like she was about to burst of excitement.

"Hi. You wanted to talk to us?" Mistypaw tilted her head, wondering why she was this excited.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Well what is it?" Mistypaw was getting excited herself. Lilypaw seemed to be getting anxious too.

Petalfall burst out, "Heronwing and I are having more kits!"

Lilypaw exclaimed, "You are?!"

"Yes!"

"That's great!" Mistypaw said. "I'm so happy for you!"

Lilypaw asked, "What are you going to name them?"

Petalfall purred and replied, "I don't know yet, silly. We'll have to wait and see what they look like."

"Wow! This is so exciting!" Mistypaw turned to her sister. "We're going to have siblings!"

Lilypaw broke into a wide grin, and so did Petalfall.

• • •

"And...there you go." Creampaw set the herb she was working with down.

"When will I be able to train again?" Mistypaw asked, gingerly moving her injured leg.

Creampaw answered, "Probably a few days. Five or six, at most. Two, at the very least."

"Thanks," Mistypaw nodded, and then put her head down on the mossy nest she was laying in. She tried to sleep, but she couldn't. Her mind was too busy to be able to sleep; she thought about Snowpelt's murder, her mother having more kits, and how she had been such a klutz to fall in that hole while chasing a mouse and spraining her ankle. Luckily, she didn't sprain it that bad, so she could return to training soon.

She realized Creampaw was watching her until she asked, "Do you want any poppy seeds?"

"Oh! Uh, yes please. Thank you, Creampaw." Mistypaw answered. She figured she wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon if she didn't have any.

The medicine cat apprentice went into the herb store and brought back two small, black seeds. "Here, this is all I thought you would need."

Mistypaw nodded. "Thanks. Also, where's Dapplefur?"

"Checking on Jaystripe. She's very close to having her kits. I'm supposed to help with it, and can't wait! They're going to be so cute."

"Yeah, I bet." Mistypaw agreed as the poppy seeds were pushed towards her by the cream colored she-cat. She lapped them up and almost immediately felt very drowsy. Before she knew it, she fell into a deep sleep.


	8. Chapter Six: Spiritpaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter Six

SPIRITPAW

Spiritpaw's blue and yellow multicolored eyes snapped open. "Where am I?..." He breathed, his breath hitching in his throat for a minute before he raised his head and looked around with wide eyes. The last thing he remembered was curling up in his cool, mossy nest for the night before waking up to this. But the more he looked around, the calmer he felt. He was laying in a soft grassy meadow, but what confused him was the colors of the unknown place. The grass was a light pink, and the flowers that dotted the land were a bright violet color. The trees that laid beyond the meadow had a green tint, but were otherwise a pastel purple. Everything shimmered with what Spiritpaw could only describe as stardust, and he gasped in awe. "Am I in Star Tribe?" The white tom said to no one in particular before looking around for anyone else beside him. He had to be in Star Tribe. That was the only way the sparkly and brightly colored meadow could be justified.

He lowered his head a little and trotted towards a small slope that overlooked where he was, and soon a feeling of worry gnawed its way into his chest. Have I died!? The tom thought while his breathing turned ragged with worry. But how did I die? I never felt sick, so it can't be that... What if I was murdered!? Spiritpaw was so busy staring at his paws and thinking about his demise, that he hadn't even noticed there was a cat at the top of the hill until they spoke.

"Hello," a grey marbled tom said calmly, watching the apprentice. Snapping his head up, he looked over at the cat and his eyes widened once more. The mysterious Tom's fur was glittering, and instead of having pupils in his eyes, they were just a glowing green. "Do not fear young one. You are only in Star Tribe... But you must have figured that out by now." Spiritpaw opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off. "My name is Ashenheart. I used to be an ancient cat that lived where your two Tribes are now." He waved his tail, and Spiritpaw sat down slowly, gazing at the ancient cat.

"Why am I here?" The white tom asked, his eyes brows furrowing.

Ashenheart furrowed his brows also, mirroring Spiritpaw's expression. "Well, I must say, it's not for a good reason... There's a prophecy." He was quiet while the apprentice in front of him took all the information in. A prophecy... One that involves me... And it isn't a good one... He let out a low whine and looked down at his paws, his tail drooping down to the ground.

"So, I take it I'm still alive... And what is the prophecy?... Why am I being chosen for this? Are there others too? What will happen?" Ashenheart quickly quieted the tom by placing his skinny grey tail over Spiritpaw's muzzle.

"Yes, you are living. You were chosen for reasons I cannot explain to you right now, you must find them out in time." Shutting his eyes, the ancient cat bowed his head before speaking after a moment. "There are three others. One from your tribe, and the other two from Water Tribe... To conquer the evil that threatens you all, you must work together."

"Well who a-are they!?" Spiritpaw yelled, standing up and pacing back and forth, confusion, annoyance, and fear mixing into one. "First off, I never asked to be in a prophecy! Especially one I'm only guessing leads to death!" He hissed. "And you're being so vague! If I'm to help my tribe, I need to know how to do so... Also not to mention the fact that you haven't even told me the prophecy yet and I'm already more confused than a mouse struck by a hawk!" Plopping down, the white tom glared over at Ashenheart.

Ashenheart had an unreadable expression on his face before he said quietly, "I cannot tell you who the others are... You must find out yourself..." Before Spiritpaw could speak, he carried on. "Those who are running should keep to the time, for the past will come back, and take each of their lives in a great attack." There was an elongated silence between the two, while Spiritpaw's eyes widened as he thought about what the prophecy could possibly mean.

"You must wake up soon." Ashenheart said suddenly, urgency evident in his voice. "But before I go, to help you on your quest you will receive a power to help you along the way."

"A power?..." Spiritpaw whispered to himself, eyes still wide.

"Yes." Ashenheart nodded, before placing his paw over the white Tom's chest and touching his nose to Spiritpaw's head. "From now on... You may tell what others are thinking... Only for a bit though. It's up to you to figure out how to use it." Ashenheart took a step back. As soon as he stepped way, a rush of energy coursed through Spiritpaw, and he gasped in excitement and surprise. "You need to wake up. Come back tomorrow night, and I will explain more..." The ancient cat murmured, his image fading and his glowing green eyes dulling.

"N-No! Wait, come back!" Spiritpaw desperately clawed at the apparition as he suddenly began falling, until everything turned black. He woke with a start.

Panting, Spiritpaw looked around the den and noticed everyone was still fast asleep. "Why should I be awake?..." He whispered to himself, frowning as he went off into thought when suddenly a loud yowl sounded from the camp entrance. Spiritpaw gasped and snapped his head towards the outside, while his friends stirred near him. "Help! Please!" Sounded the wailing of a tom. The deputy, Grayclaw, burst into camp, his eyes wide and frantic as blood covered his pelt along with claw marks, and tangled messy fur.

"What's happened?!" And unknown cat called from the Warriors den, before sticking they're head out.

"F-Fernstar's been captured!"

A/N: sorry I didn't update last week. The chapter wasn't ready.


	9. Chapter Seven: Foxpaw

Echoes of the Past: Chapter Seven

FOXPAW

Foxpaw shook the cold feeling from his pelt quietly and stood up. Walking out of the den, he saw that the morning sun was just rising over the hill, turning the clouds around it yellowish orange.

"Good morning, Foxpaw!" Acornear meowed to him. He smiled slightly and gave a small wave of his white-tipped tail. He kept walking all the way to the top of the hill, and once he got there, he sat down. Staring at the sunrise, he thought about the dream that had been haunting him since he woke up about ten minutes ago. He was usually up early, but not for this reason.

 _Those who are running should keep to the time, for the past will come back, and take each of their lives in a great attack._

Foxpaw could still remember the ancient cat, Cedarfoot's, prophecy. The pastel pinks, purples and greens were still fresh in his mind. He had visited Star Tribe, which made him feel overwhelmed. Not only that, he had supposedly received the power to see into the past!

Was it only a dream? The tom thought, still staring at the sun, which was coloring the whole sky around it pink. He shook his head. It couldn't have been a dream; it was too real.

He jumped as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He whipped around to see who it was, as if preparing for an attack, but it was only his brother.

Redpaw shrunk back. "Whoa! What's gotten you so hyped up?"

"Nothing," Foxpaw sighed, glaring at his brother.

"Okay, well, Runningstorm was looking for you. Just thought I'd let you know."

Foxpaw nodded. "Thanks, I'll be right there." He yawned and stretched, then raced down the hill to meet his mentor.

"Foxpaw. I thought I told you we were going on the patrol this morning," Runningstorm looked at him pointedly.

The apprentice hung his head. "You did. I'm sorry."

Runningstorm nodded, then turned and padded off towards the rest of the patrol, consisting of Crowtail, Brookfur and Torneye.

"Is everyone here?" The leader of the patrol, Torneye, looked around. "Seems so. Let's get going." He and all of the other cats headed off, exiting the camp by the small tunnel under the roots of a pine tree. Foxpaw didn't like the tunnel; he wished it were wider and warmer. If there was anything the tom hated, it was being cold.

He stepped out of the tunnel onto the soft grass again, taking a deep breath of the warm, pine-scented air. Following the rest of the patrol, he noticed something streak across the territory.

"Hey," he poked Runningstorm lightly with his tail. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" The she-cat asked, clearly still annoyed with him. He really needed to stop being late for stuff like this.

Foxpaw looked over to where he saw the white flash. "I thought I saw something..." he shook his head. He was probably just remembering his Star Tribe dream. He walked along, speeding up so he could walk with Crowtail. He knew that his mentor could be very irrational when she was annoyed, so he figured it was best to give her space until she calmed down a little bit.

"Hey, apprentice! Whatcha been up to lately?" Crowtail asked him, grinning.

"Nothing," Foxpaw lied. Something was definitely up. He was on high alert for the rest of the patrol, looking out for whatever had run across his field of vision before.

Suddenly, as they came closer, a funny feeling washed over the ginger tabby. He closed his eyes, and saw a mental image of a gray cat chasing a white cat into the woods. They didn't look like the pine forest on his Tribe's territory, but more like the oak and maple trees of Breeze Tribe. He pondered this for a short while before remembering he was on a patrol, so he opened his eyes.

"Ah!" As soon as he did, a white-hot pain seared his head, causing every other cat on the patrol to look back at him.

"Foxpaw! What happened?" Runningstorm rushed over to him.

He stumbled. "I don't know, I have this huge headache..." But as soon as the words left his mouth, it was mostly over, only a nagging, yet tolerable, pain remained.

"Get him to Cavernmist; see if anything is wrong," Torneye said to Runningstorm. The scout nodded and walked with him back to camp in silence. By the time they got to the healer's den, he felt a lot better and his headache was nearly gone.

The gray healer walked out of her supply store with a couple of herbs on her mouth. She mumbled, "How are you feeling? What happened?"

"Um..." How could Foxpaw explain this without sounding insane? "Well, I was on the patrol. I was walking and suddenly I got an intense and painful headache," he told her simply.

Cavernmist nodded to show that she understood, but her green showed that she wanted a better answer.

He added, "I'm doing better now, though."

"Okay. Well, would you like to rest for a bit?" Cavernmist glanced at Runningstorm, who was being so uncharacteristically quiet he had forgotten she was there.

Foxpaw nodded. He was confused and tired; he really did want a nap. With his mentor's okay, he laid down on a soft moss nest and tried to fall asleep. Finding that he couldn't, he opened his eyes.

"Wait..." he mumbled aloud. He obviously wasn't in the healer's den, but he was laying in soft grass. Feeling the sudden urge to run, he got up and cautiously looked around. Seeing no cats around, he began to sprint. The scout apprentice ran, with the pleasantly warm wind through his fur, until a reddish brown tom appeared in front of him.

"Foxpaw," Cedarfoot looked at him with amber eyes that seemed to hold years of wisdom. He sat down and licked his chest fur a couple of times to look more dignified.

"I see you've learned to use your new power."

Foxpaw's jaw dropped in surprise. "When?"

Cedarfoot replied, "Think."

"Um... Oh! The gray cat chasing the white cat?"

"Yes. Now, wake up, the Tribes need you."

"Wait! You haven't even told me what the Tribes need me for! I'm so confused by all of this... can't you tell me a little bit?" Foxpaw pleaded with the Star Tribe cat. He answered by fading away, his shimmering fur disappearing.

"Ugh," Foxpaw sighed. How was he supposed to save the Tribes if he didn't know what he was supposed to save them from?


End file.
